Disposable seat cover

ABSTRACT

A disposable cover for seats, which may comprise a bag for enveloping a seat back. The bag may comprise two layers including an outer liquid absorbent material and an inner water impermeable layer. An opening permits air to escape when the cover is being installed over a seat back. The cover may have an element for gathering the same about the seat back. The cover may include leg covers in the form of tabs which project from the cover to extend over the seat where a person&#39;s legs would contact the seat.

BACKGROUND

This application relates generally to a disposable cover for seats. Moreparticularly, this application is directed to a bag-like member intendedfor installation over the seat back of a seat, such as an upholsteredseat intended for public accommodations.

Many seats and chairs are covered with fabric or other permeablecoverings for user comfort. Examples are upholstered chairs and seatsand fabric covered chairs and seats. Other coverings such as leather andeven plastic materials are also susceptible to contamination by dander,perspiration, spilled beverages and toiletries such as skin lotion,among many others.

In most places which offer public accommodation for seating, such astrains, airplanes, ships, busses, restaurants, meeting and lecturehalls, theaters, and waiting rooms, seats are left unprotected. Theseseats may become fouled over time due to spills and due to long termexposure to bodily fluids and substances. In extreme cases, insectinfestations, such as lice, mites, fleas, and others may be transferredto the seats. There exists a need for easily installed, inexpensiveprotection for seats intended for public use.

SUMMARY

This application discloses a disposable seat cover intended forpromoting hygiene in seats intended for public accommodations.

In particular, this application discloses a disposable seat cover whichis particularly suitable for preventing cross contamination between anupholstered or cushioned seat and a member of the public using thatseat.

Of course, it is not necessary that use of the novel seat cover bereserved for public accommodations. The novel seat cover may be used inthe home or in other private facilities to protect chairs and seats,especially those having liquid permeable upholstering, cushioning, orother covering which might be susceptible to permeation from bodilyfluids, spilled beverages, and other potential contaminants.

A novel disposable seat cover is disclosed, which seat cover slips overand conforms to the seat back of a seat or chair, and which can bequickly removed therefrom and discarded.

This application also discloses a construction of a disposable seatcover, wherein the seat cover is fabricated from two joined plies,including an outer liquid absorbent layer and an inner liquidimpermeable layer. The outer layer retains bodily fluids such asperspiration. The inner layer prevents perspiration, small insects andpests, and some particulate matter, such as dandruff, dust, pollen,dirt, and lint from passing to and potentially contaminating upholsteryand cushions. The inner layer also prevents contaminants already presentin the upholstery or cushions of the seat from being transferred to anew user.

This application also discloses additional advantageous features of adisposable seat cover, such as an opening to permit air to be rapidlyevacuated while installing the seat cover over a seat back, extensionsto extend protection to the legs of the user, and an element forgathering the seat cover so as to conform closely to the dimensions ofthe seat on which it is installed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings, when considered in connection with the followingdescription, are presented for the purpose of facilitating anunderstanding of the subject matter sought to be protected.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a disposable seat coveraccording to one aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional detail view illustrating constituency of aconstituent material for making a disposable seat cover.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional detail view similar to FIG. 2, but showing adifferent construction.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover accordingto another aspect of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover accordingto a third aspect of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover accordingto a fourth aspect of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover accordingto a fifth aspect of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one construction of tubular stockmaterial for making a disposable seat cover.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pattern of single thickness stockmaterial for making a disposable seat cover.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating summarized steps of a method ofpracticing the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a disposable seat cover 10according to one aspect of the invention. The seat cover 10 is intendedfor covering a cushioned, upholstered, or otherwise covered seat back 2of a seat or chair 4, which seat back 2 is permeable to fluids and fineparticulate matter. The chair 4 comprises a seat bottom 6 which issimilarly cushioned, upholstered, or otherwise covered, and therebysusceptible to the same type of contamination which could occur with theseat back 2. The seat cover 10 may comprise an envelope portion 12 forencircling the seat back 2, the envelope portion 12 comprising a frontpanel 14 for covering the front of the seat back 2 and a rear panel 16for spanning the rear of the seat back 2. The envelope portion 12 has aproximal end 18 which is formed at the top of the seat 4 or seat back 2when the envelope portion 12 is placed over the seat back 2 as it wouldbe installed to cover the seat back 2. In this installed condition, thefront panel 14 covers the front of the seat back 2 and the rear panel 16spans the rear of the seat back 2 so as to support the front panel 14 inits operative condition covering the front of the seat back 2.

The proximal end 18 of the envelope portion 12 may have a proximalopening 20, for relieving relatively high and low internal air pressureswhich would otherwise develop within the envelope portion 12 when thelatter is drawn over the seat back 2 and removed therefrom. The lower ordistal end 22 of the envelope portion 12 has a distal opening 24 to passthe seat back 2 as the envelope portion 12 is being installed over theseat back 2. The envelope portion 12 may be of generally constantdiameter when installed on the seat back 2, with the diameter thereofgreat enough to pass the seat back 2 through the distal opening 24 intothe envelope portion 12 for installation. Alternatively stated, thedistal opening 24 is a diameter about equal to that of the envelopeportion 12.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the front panel 14 may comprise an outer web 26of liquid retentive, permeable material, and an inner web 28 of liquidimpermeable material such as polyethylene or polypropylene film. Theouter web 26 may comprise for example a soft fabric material, which maybe made from natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a blend of natural andsynthetic. Natural fibers may include among others, cotton, linen, andhemp. Synthetic materials may include polyester, polyamide, and nylon.Fibers may be microfibers. As an alternative, and as shown in FIG. 3,the outer web 126 of a front panel 114 may comprise a flexible nettingmaterial 126. In other respects, the front panel 114 may be structurallyand functionally identical to the front panel 14 of FIG. 1. The innerweb 128 of the front panel 114 may comprise for example a syntheticpolymeric material 128 such as polyethylene or polypropylene film.

It would be possible to provide the outer web only in limited areas,such as on the front panel, such as the front panel 14, only, and toomit the outer web in other areas.

Again referring to FIG. 1, the seat cover 12 may comprise at least oneextension tab (two extension tabs 30 and 32 are shown) which extendsfrom the envelope portion 12 at the distal end 22 thereof. In use, theextension tab or tabs 30, 32 are arranged to underlie the thighs of aperson (not shown) sitting in the seat bottom 6. A single extension tab(not shown) spanning both thighs may be substituted for the twoextension tabs 30 and 32 if desired.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the disposable seat cover 10 may further comprisea gathering element for constricting the overall diameter of theenvelope portion 12 so that when installed on the seat back 2, theenvelope portion 12 is gathered about and conforms closely to the seatback 2. The gathering element may comprise a draw string 34 suitablysecured to the envelope portion 12 by for example, being containedwithin a hem 36. The two free ends 38, 40 of the draw string 34 may bedrawn apart to constrict the draw string 34 about the envelope portion12 and then tied together.

In an alternative to the arrangement of FIG. 4, and referring to FIG. 5,there is shown the envelope portion 212 of a disposable seat cover (notshown in its entirety), wherein the gathering element may comprise ahook 34 and an eye 36 disposed to receive and retain the hook 34. Thehook 34 may be fixed to the envelope portion 212 by a pad 238, and theeye fixed to the envelope portion 212 by a similar pad 240. The pads238, 240 may be stitched, adhered, sonically welded, or joined or bondedin any other way to their respective hook 234, eye 236, and envelopeportion 212.

In a further alternative shown in FIG. 6, an envelope portion 312 of adisposable seat cover (not shown in its entirety) may have a gatheringelement in the form of hook and loop fastener patches 334, 336. Thepatch of hook fastener 334 is located on a strip 338 of flexiblematerial which is fixed to the envelope portion 312 to enableconstriction of the envelope portion 312 over a seat back such as theseat back 2 of FIG. 1.

In still another alternative illustrated in FIG. 7, an envelope portion412 of a disposable seat cover (not shown in its entirety) may have agathering element in the form of tie strings 434 and 436, which may bejoined or bonded to the envelope portion 412 in any way including thosedescribed above for the pads 238 and 240.

The envelope portion of a disposable seat cover according an aspect ofthe invention may be made in any of several ways. For example, theenvelope portion, such as the envelope portion 12 of FIG. 1 may be madefrom a tubular stock material in the way that plastic bags (not shown)are made. That is, a tubular base element is made as a stock material ofindefinite length, is cut to a desired length (as for example a tubularbase element 500 shown in FIG. 8), and then is bonded along one end suchas the end 502 to create a bag with one opening. Obviously, bondingalong the end may be interrupted to form an air relieving opening, suchas the proximal opening 20 of the disposable seat cover 10 of FIG. 1. Asan alternative, the end 502 may be bonded along its entire length, withthe air relieving opening cut into the bonded end. Where extension tabssuch as the extension tabs 30 and 32 of FIG. 1 are to be present in thefinal disposable seat cover, such tabs may be die cut, knife cut, orotherwise severed before or after bonding that end bearing the airrelieving opening.

In another construction, and referring to FIG. 9, a disposable seatcover such as the seat cover 10 of FIG. 1 may be formed from a singlethickness stock material of two ply construction according to theconstructions for example of FIGS. 2 and 3. Starting from an elongatedstrip of two ply material having an inner web and outer web, such as theinner web 28 and the outer web 26 of FIG. 2, a pattern 600 has beenpre-cut to have a centrally located proximal opening 620. The pattern600 may display generally constant width along its length, with theproximal opening 620 formed generally in the center of the pattern 600.The distal opening will be defined when the pattern 600 is folded overonto itself at a fold (indicated as imaginary fold line 623). Thedirection of fold is indicated as arrows A and B, with a corner 625meeting a corner 627, and a corner 629 meeting a corner 631 afterfolding. The distal opening 620 will be defined and will resemble thedistal opening 20 of FIG. 1 after folding is complete. It will be seenthat the distal opening 620 is, after folding, centered on the fold line623, and that the distal end 622 of a panel such as the front panel 614will be disposed in overlying registry with the distal end 626 of therear panel 616. The lateral edges 637 and 639 of the front panel 612will abut respective the lateral edges 633 and 635 of the rear panel616.

Of course, once folded, the pattern 600 will be joined or bonded alongthe lateral edges 633, 637 and 635, 639 to form a generally tubularmember similar to that of the envelope portion 12 of FIG. 1.

The pattern 600 may optionally have extension tabs 630 and 632, whichare structural and functional counterparts of the extension tabs 30 and32 of FIG. 1.

An optional feature that may be provided with any disposable seat coveraccording to one or more aspects of the invention is that indicia may beprovided on the seat cover for advertising and other purposes. This isillustrated representatively in FIG. 1, where a patch 50 representswording, a logo, or other indicia which may be disposed on the outer webin a location visible to view when the disposable seat cover installedover a seat back such as the seat back 2 of the seat 4.

As summarized in FIG. 10, the invention may be thought of as a method700 of covering a seat having a seat back, such as the seat back 2 ofthe seat 4, which is cushioned or upholstered or otherwise covered so asto be permeable to fluids and fine particulate matter, to prevent crosscontamination between the seat back and a person sitting in the seat.This method 700 may comprise a step 702 of providing a disposable seatcover, such as the disposable seat cover 10, which comprises an envelopeportion and is dimensioned and configured to cooperate with the seatback of the seat, which has an opening of width less than the width ofthe envelope portion, and which is made of material comprising a liquidimpervious inner layer and a liquid absorbent, permeable outer layer.

The method 700 may comprise a step 704 of placing the disposable seatcover over the seat back such that the opening is located at the top ofthe seat back, a front panel portion of the envelope covers the front ofthe seat back, and a rear panel portion of the envelope spans the rearof the seat back.

The method 700 may comprise a step 706 of discarding the disposable seatcover after each usage by one person.

The method 700 may comprise a step 708 of providing and installing a newdisposable seat cover on the seat for a subsequent usage by a person.

A disposable seat cover according to one or more aspects of theinvention, such as the seat cover 10, may be used in the home and forother private purposes, and not just for public accommodations. Forexample, children sitting in high chairs and at upholstered chairs at adinner table may have their seats protected by a disposable seat cover.Disposable seat covers according to one or more aspects of the inventionmay be sold at wholesale or retail in rolls or in small packs of two toten or more seat covers.

A disposable seat cover according to one or more aspects of theinvention, such as the seat cover 10, may assume proportions other thanthose described herein. For example, a disposable seat cover (not shown)may be made to the dimensions and proportions of a bench seat (notshown) of the type used in many forms of public transportation. Sofasand other furniture may benefit from similarly configured seat covers.In either case, a seat cover may be attached by different types offasteners, including clips, hook and loop patches and tie strips usinghook and loop, wire which may be wound around seat structure, hooks,flexible cords and strips terminating in hooks, readily removableadhesive, friction, and weight of the occupant, among others.

The illustrations shown are for explanation purposes only.

While the present disclosure has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosedembodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A disposable seat cover for seats having seat backs which arecushioned or upholstered or both, comprising an envelope portion forencircling the seat back, comprising: a front panel for covering thefront of the seat back; a rear panel for spanning the rear of the seatback; a proximal end formed at the top of the seat when the envelopeportion is installed on a seat back with the front panel covering thefront of the seat back and the rear panel spanning the rear of the seatback, the proximal end including a proximal opening of diameter lessthan that of the envelope portion, for relieving relatively high and lowinternal air pressures which would otherwise develop when the disposableseat cover is installed over and removed from a seat back; and a distalend formed at the bottom of the seat back when the envelope portion isinstalled on the seat back with the front panel covering the front ofthe seat back and the rear panel spanning the rear of the seat back, thedistal end including a distal opening of diameter about equal to that ofthe envelope portion, for passing the seat back through the disposableseat cover for installation, wherein at least the front panel comprisesan outer web of liquid retentive, permeable material, and an inner webof liquid impermeable material.
 2. The disposable seat cover accordingto claim 1, further including a gathering element for constricting theoverall diameter of the disposable seat cover so that when installedover a seat back, the disposable seat cover conforms closely to the seatback.
 3. The disposable seat cover according to claim 2, wherein thegathering element comprises hook and loop fastener.
 4. The disposableseat cover according to claim 2, wherein the gathering element comprisesa draw string retained on the envelope portion.
 5. The disposable seatcover according to claim 2, wherein the gathering element comprises ahook and an eye arranged to receive and retain the hook.
 6. Thedisposable seat cover according to claim 1, wherein the inner webcomprises a synthetic polymeric material.
 7. The disposable seat coveraccording to claim 1, wherein the outer web comprises flexible nettingmaterial.
 8. The disposable seat cover according to claim 1, wherein theouter web comprises a soft fabric material.
 9. The disposable seat coveraccording to claim 1, further including at least one extension tabextending from the envelope portion at the distal end thereof, whereinthe extension tab is arranged to underlie the thighs of a person sittingin the seat.
 10. The disposable seat cover according to claim 1, whereinthe front panel and the rear panel are fabricated from an elongatedstrip of material having the inner web and outer web, wherein theelongated strip displays generally constant width along its length, andthe proximal opening is formed generally in the center of the elongatedstrip of material, and the distal opening is defined when the elongatedstrip of material is folded over onto itself at a fold coinciding withlocation of the proximal opening and the distal end of the front panelis disposed in overlying registry with the distal end of the rear panelwith respective lateral edges of the front panel and of the rear panelcaused to abut.
 11. The disposable seat cover according to claim 1,further comprising indicia disposed on the outer web in a locationvisible to view when the disposable seat cover is installed over a seatback of a seat.
 12. A method of covering a seat having a seat back whichis cushioned or upholstered or otherwise covered so as to be permeableto fluids and fine particulate matter, to prevent cross contaminationbetween the seat back and a person sitting in the seat, comprising thesteps of: providing a disposable seat cover having an envelope memberwhich is dimensioned and configured to cooperate with the seat back ofthe seat, which has an opening of width less than the width of theenvelope member, and which is made of material comprising a liquidimpervious inner layer and a liquid absorbent, permeable outer layer;and placing the disposable seat cover over the seat back such that theopening is located at the top of the seat back, a front panel portion ofthe envelope covers the front of the seat back, and a rear panel portionof the envelope member spans the rear of the seat back.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 12, comprising the further step of discarding thedisposable seat cover after each usage by one person.
 14. The methodaccording to claim 13, comprising the further step of providing andinstalling a new disposable seat cover on the seat for a subsequentusage by a person.